Wake Forest renews its rivalry with No. 17 North Carolina when the Demon Deacons visit the Tar Heels on Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The Deacs (10-6, 1-2 ACC) are in need of a bounce-back game — and a resume-boosting signature win — after falling 81-77 on Wednesday at home to Miami.
Despite posting its best 3-point shooting performance of the season — making 11 of 21 shots behind the arc for a 52.4% clip — Wake lost the rebounding battle by 17, allowed Miami to shoot 50% from the floor and was outscored 42-20 in the paint.
“I don’t think we’re very physical. That’s a lot of it. There are times our bigs get run and get physically put underneath the basket, so they’re not in very good rebounding position. Then it becomes very guard-reliant,” Wake coach Steve Forbes said. “Everybody has to come in there, and if we’ve got guys who don’t on each possession, it’s hard to get them.”
Wake Forest grabs an average of 35.1 rebounds per game this season, which ranks 249th nationally. On the glass, North Carolina (13-2, 1-1) will likely present a problem for the Demon Deacons, as the Tar Heels are 23rd nationally in rebounding with 41.8 boards per game.
The Tar Heels haven’t played since last Saturday when their seven-game win streak was snapped at SMU, losing 97-83 to the Mustangs. It was arguably the Tar Heels’ worst defensive effort of the season as they allowed SMU to shoot 60% from the floor and 51.9% from behind the arc — both season highs for UNC’s opponents. SMU’s scoring total was also the most the Tar Heels have given up this season.
“From a defensive standpoint, that’s just unacceptable,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said this week. “Defensively, it came from every direction in regards to one-on-one, whether it was on the perimeter or the post. Transition, pick-and-roll, close outs, middle drives — just different things defensively that contributed to them to shoot such a high percentage in the second half.”
The leaders for the Tar Heels are post players Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. Wilson, a true freshman, is posting 19.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, while Veesaar, a junior, is averaging 16.3 points and 9.2 boards. The duo is on pace to become the first pair of players in ACC history to average 16 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting at least 55% from the floor.
Wake Forest is powered by Juke Harris, who is averaging 19.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. The sophomore is coming off scoring 28 points against Miami.
North Carolina has won nine straight games at home against Wake Forest. Duke and North Carolina State are the only two teams the Tar Heels have faced more often than Wake.
Saturday’s clash at the Dean Smith Center is sold out, and the Tar Heels’ next victory there will be their 500th in the building that opened in 1986.
